Just left of the northern entrance to the forest is a sleepy bear resting on top of something round. There are many round objects in the forest below that the bear will find similarly comfortable. Push the round things up to the bear and he'll swap seats and reward you with Praise.

Along the western perimeter, near the path that leads to the missing bridge, is the fang trader Kiba. You can trade Demon Fangs for valuable items, so be sure to collect them from enemies you fight. For tips on collecting Demon Fangs, check the game basics section of this guide.